System and method for managing diverse video network devices via application and interface objects

ABSTRACT

A video network platform manages video network devices with management applications, such as scheduling, monitoring and diagnostics applications, by representing the devices as interface objects that support a network interface module, and application objects used by the management applications and created by an adapter engine that creates an application object for each corresponding video network device interface object. A network interface module associated with the video network platform invokes the adapter engine to create an application object associated with a device. The application object uses its dynamic attribute query capabilities to build an interface object in the network interface module and thus obtain device attributes such as device address information. The application module populates itself with device information for supporting management applications, thus allowing conventional network interface modules to cooperate with application specific objects.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to video network communications, andmore specifically relates to a system and method for managing videonetwork devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Video conference calls have grown in popularity as the expense of videoconferencing devices has decreased and the availability of broadbandcommunication networks has increased. Businesses often prefer the morepersonal communication available through video conferences compared withtelephone conferences, and also enjoy savings in travel costs whilestill having a personal presence among the participants that is notpossible with audio only communications. The increased popularity ofvideo conferencing has resulted in the deployment of video networkdevices in wide ranging disparate locations with the devices interfacedby business networks or the public network. Often, video calls involvethe interfacing of video network devices manufactured by a variety ofdifferent manufacturers and using a variety of protocols and networkcommunication interfaces.

As video network devices grow in number, the task of scheduling,monitoring and diagnosing problems of the devices grows in complexity.For instance, a single video network might interface with video endpoints, multi-call units (MCUs), and gateways each manufactured bydifferent manufacturers and using different communication protocols.Each of these devices may include specific management, maintenance andmonitoring needs that makes central management of a network difficult toaccomplish.

One difficulty with management of video devices is establishing auniform representation of the devices for use by managementapplications. Without a uniform means of communicating with differenttypes of devices, management applications generally must be updated asdevices on the video network are changed or reconfigured. Thus, videonetwork operational staff is typically faced with a complex task ofmaintaining video networks by tracking changes to the network andupdating management applications and devices on an individual basis.This increases the cost and complexity of video networks and alsoresults in reduced reliability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore a need has arisen for a system and method which manages videonetwork devices through a centralized video network platform.

A further need has arisen for a system and method which provides auniform representation of different types of video network devices toreduce the complexity of managing the different types of video networkdevices with management applications.

In accordance with the present invention, a system and method areprovided which substantially reduce the problems and disadvantages ofmanaging video network devices. A video network platform includes anetwork interface operable to represent video devices as interfaceobjects. An adapter engine associated with the network interface createsapplication objects for video devices that correspond with the interfaceobjects. Management applications use the application objects to managethe video devices from the video network platform.

More specifically, a network interface module provides a uniformcommunication interface for the video network platform to communicatewith the video network, such as the WebNMS interface commerciallyavailable from AdventNet for interfacing servers with internet networks.The network interface module represents devices of the network asinterface objects, such as the managed objects of WebNMS, with attributeget and set methods that are generic in nature and that provide accessto device attributes as sets of name value pairs. A discovery engineassociated with the network interface module interrogates devices on thenetwork to allow creation of interface objects with appropriateattributes when a device is added to or changed on the network.

An adapter engine communicates with the network interface module and iscalled when the video network platform seeks to represent a device onthe video network. For instance, a network operator who adds a device tothe video network may initiate a call to the adapter engine, or thediscovery engine may initiate a call to the adapter engine if a newdevice is detected on the network. The adapter engine creates anapplication object and invokes the network interface module to create acorresponding interface object. The network interface moduleinterrogates the device and populates the interface object withappropriate attributes. The adapter engine applies the interface objectattributes to the corresponding application object and the applicationobject is then able to directly interrogate the device to populateattributes of the application object. For instance, the interface objectis populated with attributes to identify the address and device type.These interface object attributes are forwarded to the applicationobject to allow a direct interface for the application object to obtaindesired attributes.

Management applications associated with the video network platformperform management functions using the application objectrepresentations of devices. In some instances, management applicationqueries to the network interface module for interface objects thatrepresent video devices are intercepted by a special kind of interfaceobject known as an override interface object. The override interfaceobject takes interface object requests and forwards them to anapplication object that corresponds with the requested interface object.Override interface objects enable additional functionality for existingmanagement applications that use interface objects to communicate withdevices. An override interface object references to a correspondingapplication object which in turn enables additional functionalityotherwise not available through an interface object. Thus, existingmanagement applications that use interface objects are easily adapted touse application objects by re-directing requests with an overrideinterface object.

The present invention provides a number of important technicaladvantages. One important technical advantage is that the video networkplatform allows centralized management of video devices of differenttypes. Management applications for performing such functions asscheduling, diagnostics and monitoring of video network devices accessthe application object to perform the management function. Applicationobjects that are independent from the interface objects provide greaterflexibility for the use of standardized network interfaces to reducecost and complexity with application objects available to provideinformation for specific functionality.

Another important technical advantage of the present invention is thatthe video network platform is flexible to adapt for managing differenttypes of network devices and new management applications withoutsubstantially rearchitecting the interface between the video networkplatform and the network devices. The adapter engine creates applicationobjects with needed attributes for a given application without affectingthe video network platform's interface with the network devices.Instead, the application objects are modified to handle necessaryattributes independent of the interface objects and the override objectdirects queries from management applications for interface objects tothe application objects with the desired attributes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantagesthereof may be acquired by referring to the following description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumbers indicate like features, and wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a video network platform interfacedwith a video call network;

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of a process for creating and populatingapplication objects; and

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram for a process of interfacing a managementapplication with a video network platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in thefigures, like numerals being used to refer to like and correspondingparts of the various drawings.

Management of video network devices from a central video networkplatform offers the advantage of applying applications for scheduling,diagnostics, and monitoring of the devices even if the devices are ofdifferent types. Conventional network management systems, such as WebNMSfrom AdventNet, provide a suitable interface for a video networkplatform with an internet architecture to allow management communicationbetween applications and video devices. However, conventional networkinterface modules like WebNMS represent network devices as managedobjects that are generic in nature. These managed objects provide goodinterface objects for a wide range of network devices but due to theproprietary nature of the network interface module they lack theflexibility for adapting to specific devices and applications withoutaccess to the source code of the network interface module.

One standard for management of devices in Java, called JMX, definesManagement Beans, or Mbeans, to represent devices for management. TheJMX standard provides a variety of functions to operate on Mbeans andare thus more flexible as application objects for managementapplications to manage network devices. The Mbeans encapsulateoperational attributes of the devices for the management applications toaccess and use. Thus, Mbeans offer advantages as application objectsover the use of managed objects created to act as interface objects by anetwork interface module such as WebNMS.

To take advantage of the cost savings and simplicity of a conventionalnetwork interface module as well as the flexibility of applicationspecific object standards, the present invention “hijacks” interfaceobjects and creates corresponding application objects for managingdevices with management applications. Referring now to FIG. 1, a videonetwork platform 10 provides an interface between managementapplications, including scheduling application 12, diagnosticsapplication 14 and monitoring application 16, and network devices,including end point 18, gateway 20 and MCU 22. Video network platform 10communicates with management applications and video network devicesthrough a network 24, such as the internet or another TCP/IP basednetwork.

Video network platform 10 supports a network interface module 26 and anadapter engine 28. Network interface module 26 is a commerciallyavailable network management system, such as Web NMS, which managesnetwork devices as represented by interface objects 30. In the exampleof Web NMS, interface objects 30 are called “managed objects” and havegeneric get properties and set properties methods that provide access todevice attributes as sets of name/value pairs. Network interface module26 includes a discovery engine 32 which is operable to detect networkdevices and create interface objects with appropriate attributes.

Adapter engine 28 communicates with network interface module 26 toensure that network devices represented by interface objects are alsorepresented by a corresponding application object 34, such as a Mbean.For instance, if discovery engine 32 detects a new network device or anoperator adds a network device, then a request is sent to adapter engine28 to create a new application object corresponding to the new device.The adapter engine 28 then uses the dynamic attribute query capabilitiesof the application object to build an interface object corresponding tothe device in the network interface module 26. For instance, theapplication object populates an existing shell interface object, such asan interface object created by the discovery engine, with information.Alternatively, the adapter engine may initiate creation of acorresponding interface object. The new interface object 30 obtainsbasic information that is available via attribute get and set methodsfrom the device, such as the device address and class type, and thisinformation is then forwarded to the corresponding application object.Once the application object 34 has the interface object attributes,application object 34 then is able to obtain detailed device attributesdirectly from the device. This method of creating the correspondingapplication and interface objects ensures a reference to each other.

Once the application object is populated with the device attributes, newmanagement applications can access the application objects to manage thenetwork devices, while existing management applications can accessapplication objects through corresponding override interface objects. Ifa request comes to an interface object from an existing application thatuses interface objects, then the interface object acts as an overrideinterface object 36 by accepting the request and overriding the methodsof the requested interface object to determine whether a correspondingapplication object should be used instead. The override interface object36 takes the attribute names of the request and invokes the appropriatemethod on the corresponding application object 34 to determine if theapplication object supports the requested attribute. If the applicationobject supports the requested attribute, it invokes the appropriatemethod on the device to perform the gets or sets. If not, then overrideinterface object 36 provides the attributes via the existing interfaceobject mechanisms.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a flow diagram depicts a process for creatingapplication objects and interface objects to support devices of a videonetwork. At step 38, the discovery engine detects the network deviceinterfaced with the network and invokes the adapter engine. At step 40,the adapter engine creates an application object corresponding to thedetected device. At step 42, the adapter engine uses the dynamicattribute query capability of the created application object to build aninterface object in the network interface module.

In some instances, a network operator may desire to input a new devicemanually through the adapter engine. At step 44, the adapter engineadvertises the new device to the network interface module and thenetwork interface module creates an interface object for the class ofdevices. At step 46, the discovery engine detects network devices of therequested class and invokes the adapter engine if devices are detected.At step 48, the adapter engine creates application objects correspondingto the interface objects of the detected devices.

Once the device or devices are detected, the interface object populatesthe device attribute get and set methods and forwards this informationto the application object. Included in the information forwarded to theapplication object is the address of the device or devices so that theapplication object can directly contact and communicate with the device.At step 52, the application object applies the device address asforwarded by the interface object and populates the device applicationattributes with the detailed device information needed for management ofthe device by the management applications. Because the applicationobjects are flexible and accessible for programming, the set ofattributes for the devices is flexible to allow management of thedevices as appropriate. Further, different types of devices withdifferent types of information are easily represented for use bymanagement applications.

At step 54, the application object completes population of the interfaceobject attributes as needed. Since the application object is flexibleand capable of defining attributes for specific applications anddevices, it will act as the primary reference for managementapplications to manage devices.

In some instances, requests for device management may come as requeststo interface objects. For instance, network 24 may include non-videodevices such as routers that are managed through interface objects. Inthese cases, no override interface object functionality is used, butinstead the existing interface objects defined for those devices areused.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram depicts the process by which anoverride interface object forwards video network device requests to thecorresponding application object. At step 56, a request is received atthe video network platform for the device as an interface object. Atstep 58, the override interface object invokes the requested method onthe corresponding application object if one exists. At step 60, adetermination is made of whether the method of the application objectsupports the requested attributes. If the method supports the requestedattributes, then at step 62 the override interface object invokes therequest attributes on the corresponding application object. If themethod does not support the requested attributes, then at step 64, theoverride interface object invokes the requested attributes on theinterface object. In this manner, requests appropriately addressed to aninterface object are processed by the network interface module.

Although the present invention has been described in detail, it shouldbe understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can bemade hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the appending claims.

1. A video conference network platform for managing at least two videoconference network devices each having unique operational attributes,the video conference network platform comprising: a video conferencenetwork interface module operable to interface with the at least twovideo conference network devices and to represent of the at least twovideo conference network devices as corresponding interface objects; anadapter engine associated with the video conference network interfacemodule and operable to create a corresponding application object foreach of said at least two video conference network devices, eachapplication object corresponding to a respective interface object andhaving a common format, each application object including operationalattributes obtained via an interrogation of the respective videoconference device by the adapter engine; one or more managementapplications operable to manage the at least two video conferencenetwork devices via their respective application and interface objects;and a discovery engine associated with the video conference networkinterface, the discovery engine operable to detect each of the at leasttwo video conference network devices and initiate creation of an objectto represent each detected video conference network device; wherein thediscovery engine initiates creation of an application object by theadapter engine, the adapter engine further operable to initiate creationof a corresponding interface object by the video conference networkinterface.
 2. The video conference network platform of claim 1 furthercomprising: an override interface object associated with the videoconference network interface, the override object operable to accept arequest for an interface object and to direct the request to anapplication object corresponding to the interface object.
 3. The videoconference network platform of claim 1 wherein the adapter engineincorporates attributes of the interface object into the correspondingapplication object.
 4. The video conference network platform of claim 1wherein the interface object comprises a managed object.
 5. The videoconference network platform of claim 1 wherein the application objectcomprises a Management Bean.
 6. The video conference network platform ofclaim 1 wherein the one or more management applications comprises avideo conference scheduling application.
 7. The video conference networkplatform of claim 1 wherein the one or more management applicationscomprises a video conference diagnostics application.
 8. The videoconference network platform of claim 1 wherein the one or moremanagement applications comprises a video conference monitoringapplication.
 9. A video conference system, comprising: at least onevideo conference end point; and the video conference network platformrecited in claim
 1. 10. A method of managing at least two videoconference network devices each having unique operational attributes,the method comprising: interfacing a video conference network interfacemodule with the at least two video conference network devices andrepresenting the at least two video conference network devices ascorresponding interface objects; creating an application object for eachof said at least two video conference network devices, each applicationobject corresponding to a respective interface object and having acommon format, each application object including operational attributesobtained via an interrogation of the respective video conference device;managing the at least two video conference network devices via theirrespective application and interface objects by one or more managementapplications; and detecting each of the at least two video conferencenetwork devices with a discovery engine and initiating creation of anapplication object to represent each detected video conference networkdevice; wherein the step of initiating creation of an application objectis followed by creation of the application object and initiatingcreation of a corresponding interface object.
 11. The method of claim 10further comprising: accepting a request for an interface object anddirecting the request to an application object corresponding to theinterface object.
 12. The method of claim 10 further comprisingincorporating, by an adapter engine, attributes of the interface objectinto the corresponding application object.
 13. The method of claim 10wherein the interface object comprises a managed object.
 14. The methodof claim 10 wherein the application object comprises a Management Bean.15. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more managementapplications comprises a video conference scheduling application. 16.The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more management applicationscomprises a video conference diagnostics application.
 17. The method ofclaim 10 wherein the one or more management applications comprises avideo conference monitoring application.